Analysis of the Constitution
1. List the six purposes of the delegates in making a constitution (Preamble)
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
2. The Constitution is divided into ____ Articles; each article is divided into_______; and
each of these is divided into paragraphs. There is also another division at the end for
there are _______Amendments. The purpose of this department is to make___________.
Article I
1. All legislative power is vested in_____________ which consists of a ___________ and
a _____________.
2. The House of Representatives:
A How are the candidates in the House elected? ________________________________
How often? _______________________________
The word “electors” means __________________________.
B What regulations govern the election of the members of the House?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
C What is their term of office? ____________________________
D Representation is based on ______________________. The House has __________
members fixed by law. In order to determine the population a census is taken every ten
years. Why? _________________________________________ When was the first
census taken? ____________; the last census? ______________; the next census? ____
The Speaker of the House is the ____________________________.
E What does the phrase “all other persons” mean in Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3?
________________________________________________________________________
F How is the Speaker of the House chosen? ____________________________________
G What power over civil officers is given to the House? __________________________
________________________________________________________________________
H What is a synonym for “impeach”? ____________________________
I Who may be impeached? ______________________ For what crimes?
________________________________________________________________________
3. The Senate:
A What is the total number of senators in the Senate? ______
B How are they chosen and how long is their term of office? ______________________
________________________________________________________________________
C What qualifications are required to be a candidate for the Senate?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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D What official is always head officer of the Senate? ____________________________
E The Senate shall have sole power to try all cases of ____________________________
but it can never sentence a person. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence
of what percentage of the senators? _______________________ Who presides when the
president of the United States is tried? ________________ Why?__________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the __________________ Why?
________________________________________________________________________
5. After a bill has passed both housed by a majority vote, and is sent to the President,
what three possibilities are there for its becoming a law? (Article 1, Section 7, Paragraph
2)
(1) ____________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________
(3) ____________________________________________
Explain: plurality _________________________________________________________
simple majority ___________________________________________________
6. What is a “pocket veto”? _________________________________________________
7. What does the word “veto” mean? _________________________________________
8. List the powers given to the Congress (enumerated powers):
____________________________________ ___________________________________
____________________________________ ___________________________________
____________________________________ ___________________________________
____________________________________ ___________________________________
____________________________________ ___________________________________
____________________________________ ___________________________________
____________________________________ ___________________________________
____________________________________ ___________________________________
____________________________________ ___________________________________
9. What is the exact wording of the implied powers clause? ________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Another word for “implied powers clause” is ___________________________________
10. What does the Constitution say about?
A habeas corpus ________________________________________________________
B Bill of Attainder ______________________________________________________
C Ex post facto _________________________________________________________
D Export tax ___________________________________________________________
E Titles of nobility ______________________________________________________
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11. List five specific prohibitions on the states:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Article II
Article II deals with the __________________________________. The purpose of this
department is to ________________ the laws.
1. Executive poser is vested in the___________________ and his/her _______________
2. Compare the original method of electing the President and Vice-President with that
provided by Amendment XII.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the meaning of “electoral college”? __________________________________
When are the electors chosen? _______________________________________________
When do they vote? ______________________________________________________
4. List the qualifications of the President as specified in the Constitution.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. List the powers given to the President:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. What are the President’s duties?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Article III
Article III deals with the_____________________________________. The purpose of
this department is to____________________________________ the laws.
1. The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one _________ Court. The
personnel of this court consists of one_______________ and
eight____________________, appointed by the ______________ and confirmed by the
________________________.
2. Who creates the inferior courts? _________________________________________
3. All judges shall hold office during _______________________________________.
4. Define the word “jurisdiction”: __________________________________________
5. The Supreme Court has two kinds of jurisdiction:
A _______________________ which means it can try all cases dealing with such
subjects as ___________________________.
B _______________________ which means it may try (if the judge so decides) all
cases that rightfully appealed to it; for example, with cases dealing with such subjects as:
___________________________________.
6. Why does the Constitution carefully define treason?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
A How is treason defined in the Constitution? ________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
B How may persons be convicted of treason? _________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Article IV
Relations of the states to one another
1. What dose the Constitution say about a fugitive from justice? (extradition)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What does the Constitution say about persons “held in service or labor” who escapes
into another state? ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. The Constitution provides that new states may be admitted on what terms?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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4. What would happen if any state attempted to set up a government adverse to our
republican form? ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Article V
Amending the Constitution
What are the four possible methods by which the Constitution may be amended?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Article VI
Supremacy of National Law
1. What does the Constitution say about debts contracted before the adoption of the
Constitution? ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What does the Constitution say will constitute the supreme law of the land?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. By what device was the Constitution made binding upon the officials of the various
states? _________________________________________________________________
Article VII Ratification of the Constitution
1. How many states had to ratify the Constitution and by what method? _____________
_______________________________________________________________________
2.What was the first state to ratify and on what date? ____________________________
3. What was the ninth state to ratify and on what date? ___________________________
4. What was the last state to ratify and on what date? ____________________________
5. How was the public opinion in New York state changed? _______________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. What three men deserve special credit for this? _______________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
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7. What was the chief reason for the reluctance in many states before they would ratify
the Constitution? ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
8. Name each state in the order in which they ratified the Constitution and give the date
each ratified it:
1.________________________________ 8._______________________________
2. ________________________________ 9. _______________________________
3. _______________________________ 10. _______________________________
4. _______________________________ 11. _______________________________
5. ________________________________ 12. _______________________________
6. ________________________________ 13. _______________________________
7. ________________________________
Amendments
1. The first ten amendments are known as
the____________________________________. They were collectively added to the
Constitution in what year? _____________
2. Amendment I guarantees what civil liberties? ________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the two provisions governing the quartering of troops in private homes?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. What provision is made against another possible “writ of assistance” menace?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. What does Amendment X say? ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
It is also called the __________________________ amendment.
6. Amendments 13, 14, and 15 were passed, in part, as a result of the Civil War. Briefly
state what each provides and record the date it was ratified.
13_____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
14_____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
15_____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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7. Amendments 16, 17, 18, and 19 were ratified during the Progressive Period. State the
provisions and dates of these changes in the Constitution.
16 ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
17 ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
18 ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
19 ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
8. The 20th Amendment provides for the term of the President and Vice President shall
begin on_________ and the term of a member of Congress shall start on_______.
This is the so-called “Lame Duck Amendment”. Why? ____________________
________________________________________________________________________
9. State the provisions of the following amendments:
21st __________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
22nd __________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
rd
23 __________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
24th ___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
25th __________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
26th ___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
27th______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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